Goodyear, AZ Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Article 5-1 of the Goodyear Zoning Ordinance, the Landscape Standards article, steers new development toward the Sonoran Desert palette rather than thirsty turf lawns. " Development is also required to plant pollinator habitat, such as Desert Milkweed drawn from the City of Goodyear Approved Plant Matrix, grouped within retention areas, common areas or other open space under subsection (A)(8). The desert-theme encouragement is backed by a mandatory minimum: at least 50 percent of the required landscape area on a site must be covered with live vegetation under 5-1-4(B)(2), with synthetic turf permitted only to supplement live coverage in limited, approved areas.

Turf itself is not banned outright, but decorative turf is: subsection (C)(4) states flatly that "turf intended solely for decorative purposes is prohibited," confining turf to areas built for active recreation with equipment, sports courts or fields. Single-family lots are carved out of most of the article's percentage-of-site landscaping requirements, which instead apply to multi-family, commercial and industrial development and non-residential uses in residential districts, but the desert-theme encouragement and the decorative-turf ban read as citywide design policy rather than district-specific rules. Design review by the Zoning Administrator confirms compliance with these standards before a landscape plan is approved.